520 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
and smuggling—many a grouse smoked on their board, whilst 
their captain, reclining in his arm-chain in the cabin, was gra¬ 
tifying himself with the thought, that a fish regimen agreed 
so well with the health of his men. If the steward, or any of 
the petty officers, who were allowed the privilege of shooting, 
by virtue of a licence granted by their commander, emptied 
the contents of their shooting bags before him; little did the 
wise and sagacious captain suspect, that a grouse had been 
hidden in one place, a bunting in another, a duck in a third, 
and a goose in a fourth place; and that when he was en¬ 
joying his senik, the hidden treasures were secretly conveyed 
on board, and in a short time afterwards found their way, by 
some means, into the caboose, where they were allowed to fry 
and frizzle, until an opportunity presented itself of conveying 
them to the messes below. During the expedition of Capt. 
Parry, no man was allowed to carry a gun on the Sabbath; in 
this expedition, however, the service of the day was no sooner 
over, than some of them went on their shooting excursions ; and, 
on Sunday the 19th, their success was so great, that they brought 
to the ship, ten plovers, four buntings, five ducks, one snipe, and 
six grouse. 
The ice about the ship was now melting fast, in fact she w T as 
at this time surrounded with water ; but the difference of the two 
winters began to be very perceptible ; the present one being 
at least 18 days later, or according to the opinion of Capt. Ross, 
three weeks. The tide pole was this day let down, and the 
lowest tide was found to be nine feet, and the highest fourteen 
feet, four inches. 
On the 22nd, a survey of the provisions was taken, and every 
thing was found in good condition, with the exception of a 
cask of rice, which was entirely spoilt. 
The labor of the remainder of the month of June, was directed 
to getting the ship in a proper state for sea. The ship was 
watered, and the tanks stowed away in the hold; the remainder 
ot the housing was taken off, and the ship was begun to be rigged. 
On the 30th, some hands were sent to Yakkee Hill , to bring the 
mizen boom on board, as well as the gear of the flag staff 
